Growth and development of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) are the key drivers of economic growth and development in Africa. While this has become a widely accepted idea, access to financing for growth remains a stumbling block for many enterprises in Zambia. Traditional lenders (i.e. banks) are risk averse because they may not understand the SME market and have been negatively impacted by information asymmetry that is often associated with these ventures. As a result, they tend to charge exorbitant interest rates that are unsustainable for long-term growth. The existing focus of many microfinance institutions in Zambia is typically directed towards salaried employees which crowds out lending to SMEs. Private equity financing, on the other hand, presents an alternative solution to the long-term financing dilemma faced by enterprises. The Zambian private equity market is itself in a nascent space but shows much potential. This dissertation seeks to determine what drives private equity financing in Zambia and what constrains it. The dissertation adopts a qualitative research approach relying on the interviews of various Fund Managers who are familiar with investing in Zambia. The paper finds that private equity investment in Zambia is determined and catalysed broadly by business attractiveness and the business environment. Business attractiveness is underpinned by management capacity, the business track record, exits and returns, impact potential and business scalability. The business environment is driven by political stability, GDP growth and population growth. The sector is however, constrained by a less developed private equity culture, limited opportunities to invest and currency risk.

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yes / The need to increase the capacity of developing countries to meet the mental health needs of their populations is widely acknowledged. This article examines some of the challenges associated with a British Council DelPHE project aimed at strengthening the capacity of mental health educators to prepare the mental health workforce in Zambia for a shift from an institutional to a community-based model of care. The analysis draws on data from two focus groups in which the participants were drawn from college educators who had taken part in workshops intended to enhance curriculum alignment to ensure that the education and training provided for clinical officers (psychiatry) and mental health nurses was "fit for purpose." In particular, the article highlights their perspectives on some of the tensions in focusing on mental health as opposed to broader health care and in ensuring appropriate opportunities for practice or field placements. The continuing impact of stigma and limited resources available for mental ill-health is acknowledged within the wider context of inequities in mental health care. Findings of this evaluation may be applicable to other sub-Saharan contexts, but should be understood only within the Zambian context.

This study analysed the learning environment of undergraduate medical and health sciences students of the School of Medicine University of Zambia who were studying at the Ridgeway Campus. Premised on the theory that learner’s perception of the learning environment determines approach to learning and learning outcome, the study utilized a descriptive, quantitative, and non-experimental design to articulate the issues that characterise the learning environment of the programmes. The aim was to provide framework based on these, and use it to propose a strategy for improving the learning environment of the School. The Dundee Ready Educational Environment Measure (DREEM) questionnaire was administered to 448 participants from year 2 to year 7 classes of medicine, pharmacy, and physiotherapy programmes. Total DREEM, subscale, and individual items’ scores were analysed statistically and compared by analysis of variance among the programmes. The issues determined formed the framework for strategy development, and strategic options were proposed based on evidence obtained from literature. With a global DREEM score of 119.3 ± 21.24 (59.7 %), the students perceived their learning environment as “more positive than negative.” One sample binomial test of hypothesis for categorical variables returned a p value <0.05, with a verdict to ‘reject the null hypothesis,’ thereby confirming a more positive than negative perception. Subscale scores also showed ‘more positive’ perception. There were no significant differences between scores from the different programmes when compared by Games Howell test, P> 0.05, thereby upholding the second hypothesis. Analysis of individual items revealed problems in six items, which were summarised into four strategic ssues: inadequate social support for stressed students, substandard teaching and mentoring, unpleasant accommodation, and inadequate physical facilities. The implications of the findings for theory and practice were discussed and strategic options proposed to address the issues. The study concludes that analysis of the learning environment of medical schools provides more insight for strategic planning and management. / Health Studies / D.Litt. et Phil. (Health Studies)

The central objective of this dissertation is to gain an understanding of the effect by the market within the household on a specific developmental initiative whose aim was poverty reduction. This dissertation analyses how individuals gain access to resources, and how they enforce their entitlements during the on-going implicit and explicit negotiations inherent in daily rural life. The research tested the suitability of several concepts previously untested in the southern African context. The concept of hearth-holds, proved valuable as a unit of analysis which recognizes the importance of female-directed social units. The relevance of the fall-back position in terms of locality of kin, as well as perceptions of legitimacy, were crucial in affecting how far they were willing to go and what they felt they could demand in everyday household bargaining situations. The deficiency of using romantic ideas of conjugal relations and equal opportunities to explain practice was apparent. Spouses strategise within the terms of their conjugal contracts, at times adhering to the dominant patriarchal bargain, at times covertly defying or overtly challenging it, and following another bargain. Placing women as the custodians of morality, works to the relative advantage of men by isolating women from accessing certain opportunities. Female heads of households, manage to legitimise their access to resources by virtue of being custodians of their children. Custodianship of cash funds, and the dominant decision making model used for resource related decisions in the household, clearly impacted on the relevance of different strategies in the bargaining process. The strategic entry points in this process of reduced transparency and violence were relevant in most households studied. The latter was effective in reinforcing and shaping the conjugal contract, despite in effect breaking it. Drinking facilitated this process by creating a temporary suspension of the rules. Concrete recommendations for developmental practitioners involve incorporating the hearth-hold concept and promoting the communal planning, budgeting and monitoring approach, as well as to specifically target individuals who need their intra-household bargaining power boosted. A clear policy on affirmative action in gate keeper roles, as well as gender disaggregated documentation of beneficiaries, should be institutionalised. / Development Studies / M.A. (Development Studies)

The efficiency and effectiveness of any library in delivering quality services to clients is not only dependent on how skilled the librarians are but also on how motivated they are. This study investigated factors which affect motivation of librarians in Central and Copperbelt Provinces of Zambia. The study was a survey design involving questionnaires and interview technique to obtain information. A whole population of 100 respondents was used to collect data. The survey combined qualitative and quantitative methods, qualitative data obtained from interviews were analysed by coding and regrouping similar themes using constant comparative techniques. Quantitative data from questionnaires were analysed by using statistical package for social sciences (SPSS). Study findings indicated that there were various factors which motivated librarians to do more work such as responsibilities, good salary, promotion and work achievement. However, further revelation showed that there is still need to reinforce these factors to enhance more motivation of librarians. / Information Science / M.A. (Information Science)

Text in English / Legislation plays an important role in the provision of public and national library services. However, in Zambia libraries that perform the functions of public and national libraries are operating without a legislative mandate. As a result, there is a fragmentation of library services as there is no single institution which performs all the functions of a national library service. Although several efforts were made before to enact national library service legislation, no Act of Parliament has been passed to date (2014). This study sought to provide empirical evidence to refine our insight of the benefits of having national library service legislation and the consequent implications of not having any legislation in the provision of library services. Quantitative data was collected through questionnaire administration to public library staff; interviews with senior government officials, and executive members of the ZLA and ZALICO; and document analysis on text from grey literature. The existence of the statistical significance of association between “Importance of library legislation” and “Provision of library services in Zambia” was measured and confirmed using Pearson chi-square χ2. Public library facilities, services and collections in Zambia were found to be below par, and it was concluded that this was due to lack of library legislation. The study recommends that appropriate legislation that puts together the functions of public and national libraries under one institution be enacted in Zambia as soon as possible. It is also recommended that further research be undertaken to investigate the current status of library facilities, services and collections in selected neighbouring countries where library legislation has been passed. / Information Science / M.A. (Information Science)

Thesis (MBA)--Stellenbosch University, 2000. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: no abstract available / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: geen opsomming